Title: The Princess of a Whore House
Author: Mayank Sharma
Publisher: Notion Press
Review
This slender but nimble fiction is a well-meaning story
of a girl trying to make it in the mainstream society. Though chased
by the shadows of her melancholy life, Aparajita is destined to rise above her
hardscrabble life to pursue the dream that her dead father cherished for her.
The story starts with Aparajita trying to get into one of
the most reputed schools in Delhi. This tiny event brings forth Ramya’s past.
We get to know how, after Ramya’s husband died in an unfortunate incident, she
had nobody in the whole wide world to turn to. The only person, on whom she had
pinned all her hopes, cheated her of her trust and dignity. Eventually, she
ended up in a brothel along with her daughter. Even though reduced to the worst
possible fate, Ramya had only one dream — to give her daughter a quality life.
Her ardent prayers were answered when she met Raj, a man who is at the opposite
spectrum of Anjum. As such, two men define the fate of a woman and the destiny
of a girl.
Sharma sets the stage for a collision of events and
characters that are already connected. Just what this collision will bring
forth makes up the heart of the book, which also explores the choices that
people make in life and their opportunities to overcome circumstances. The
story also mildly touches upon the stigma and the conditions that exist for sex
workers in our country.
Written in the first person, the narrative swings between
the perspectives of Ramya and Aparajita. This switch in point of view is a bone
of contention for it leaves the readers flailing for a sense of time and place.
The story’s grammar is less assured though, and the dialogue can sometimes feel
forced. Nevertheless, once readers get caught up in the tale itself, they’ll
likely enjoy the ride.
The story gets its lasting power from the qualities of its
main characters’ personalities — people who may find themselves caught up in
dire conditions but who ultimately find ways to look for light at the end of
the tunnel.
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About the Author
Mayank Sharma is a ‘left-brained’ professional with over
twenty years of global experience in leading multinational companies. His
interest in writing intensified when one of his articles was featured in the
May 2014 edition of Better Software magazine published in Florida, USA.
As Mayank travelled
across continents and associated with people with diverse beliefs and values,
he became more curious about the social riddles that curtailed liberties across
civilizations.
He is transforming into a 'right-brained' writer with his debut book, The
Princess of a Whorehouse. Besides writing, he is passionate about painting and
making sculptures.
Mayank lives in the National Capital Region of Delhi with his wife, Sonali,
daughter, Myra, and son, Aarav.
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I'd like to thank the author for letting me review the book.
I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for
stopping by, and happy reading!
* I received a review copy
from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest review.
** Picture courtesy:
Amazon.in
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